Various types of digital electronic devices are sometimes used or deployed in groups, such as rows, arrays or other patterns. In some such situations it is desirable to cause the discrete digital devices to perform functions in a particular order or sequence dictated by their spatial position within the group. For example, signaling devices such as light-emitting devices, sound-emitting devices or radiofrequency signal-emitting devices, are sometimes placed in a row or pattern and it is desirable to cause them to emit their signals in a particular sequence. Examples of this are described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,154,424 (Selevan) and U.S. Pat. No. 8,564,456 (Selevan), the entire disclosures of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference.
Flocking is the phenomenon in which self-propelled individuals, using only limited environmental information and simple rules, organize into ordered activity. In nature, some animals (birds, fish) flock in spatial dimensions, but some also ‘flock’ in other dimensions, particularly time and sound (frogs, cicadas, crickets) and in time and light (fireflies).
The present invention, as described herein, applies principles of flocking behavior to digital electronic signaling devices (e.g., signaling lights, distributed network devices or other signaling devices) when deployed or positioned in self-coordinating groups.